


In Your Hands

by Megane



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Director's Cut Excerpts, Dirty Jokes, Gladio to the Rescue, Inappropriate Humor, Jokes, Massage, Relaxing, Road Trip, Saving from Oneself, Stress Relief, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-02 00:34:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6543217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megane/pseuds/Megane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Prompto, you're driving. Noct, head up to the front with him." Gladio turned and placed his hands on his hips, looking to Ignis. "Looks like you're riding in the back with me, Ignis."</p><p>Ignis slipped his glasses onto his face and sighed, nodding his head mutely in response. Now he knew just how the Prince felt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Your Hands

**Author's Note:**

> I have this big notebook of writing ideas (it's 8 pages long right now – not counting world building stuff), and _this_ was the first idea I had ever written down. I finally got around to writing it, and I really like it a lot. I hope all of y'all do too.

A large hand fell on Ignis' shoulder. The advisor nodded his head to the gas station attendant before turning around to face his companion. Gladio drew his hand back and sighed heavily. He crossed his broad arms, further earning Ignis' attention.

          “Is something troubling you, Gladio?”

          “Yeah. You.”

Well, that was really cutting to the bone, now wasn't it? Ignis reached up to adjust his glasses, and Gladio waved a hand slowly.

          “Not in the way you think. You're not taking care of yourself. Again.”

          Ignis lowered his hand, chuckling softly. “I would have to disagree. I believe I've been doing much better these days.”

          “Letting Prom drive when you're almost black out exhausted isn't really much improvement. _And_ there's no point in _letting_ him drive if you jump right back behind the wheel after a gas break.”

          “Yes, but –”

          Gladio shook his head. “We've all got responsibilities. Our number one should be looking out for each other. Let's just say I'm paying my due.”

          Ignis nodded his head, raising his hands to show his surrender to Gladio's point. “Alright then,” the advisor began. “I will… take a break. A real one this time.”

          “Atta boy.” Gladiolus smirked and turned around.

Behind him, Noctis and Prompto were relaxing against the Regalia. Noctis was leaning against the trunk, and Prompto was sitting atop it, telling a story. Noctis coolly listened and sipped his drink. His gaze was set low to the ground; after a moment, he lifted his eyes up and stared at Gladio and Ignis. When Gladio turned around, he shot a look with the prince. Noctis gave a slight nod, and at the motion, Prompto quieted down. He brought his attention over to the other two males as well.

          “So, are we finally heading out?” Prompto asked, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his thighs.

          “Yup, and you're driving,” Gladio replied.

          “Sweet!”

          “Noct, sit in front with him. Try not to get us killed.”

          “No promises,” Noctis replied with a smile in his voice.

Prompto slid from the trunk of the car, and Noctis pushed away to stand up straight. He stretched his arms above his head as Prompto began to stretch as well.

          “You sure you don't wanna learn to drive?” Prompto asked, smiling at his friend.

          “I know I told Gladio no promises, but we would definitely be killed.”

          “Just don't fall asleep, and it's no problem!”

          Noctis scoffed and began towards the passenger door. “Least of your worries.”

Prompto shot Noctis a curious look before going to the driver's side. As Prompto began his getting-into-driving-mode routine, Gladio turned back towards Ignis. The advisor had taken off his glasses and was cleaning them with idle interest. Noctis and Prompto, what a handful. He glanced up to Gladio who watched him silently. Of course, those two weren't quite as bad when Gladio was like this. Ignis met Gladio's gaze and sighed dramatically. He felt much like Noctis did at that moment with a close protector hovering over him, waiting expectantly.

… He was not being self-aware. No, he was not. Ignis slipped his glasses onto his face, and Gladio spoke.

          “Looks like you're riding in the back with me, Iggy.”

          “Ordered around _and_ I get my own chaperon. Must be what the prince feels like.”

          Noctis lifted a hand in the air. “Except _I'm_ the one who should be giving out orders here.”

          Prompto snorted. “Like you would ever— _ow_!”

Prompto rubbed his arm where Noctis punched him. The prince then lowered his other hand and used it to prop his head up. Gladio smirked before going to join the duo in the Regalia. He jumped over the back seat, and Ignis neatly let himself inside. Prompto looked over his shoulder to his new passengers.

          “Remember to keep your hands and feet _in_ side the vehicle at all times. Remember to buckle up – safety procedures and all. All Noctuses will be attentive during the ride. Else, he'll fall out of the passenger seat.” Prompto righted himself and reached a hand back. Ignis pulled the car keys out of his blazer's inner pocket and handed them over to the blond.

          “Did I hear a threat?” Noctis asked lowly, tipping his head ever so slightly towards his friend.

          “I'm just saying,” replied Prompto, revving up the Regalia, “ _straaange_ things happen on the road.”

          “Like homicide,” Noctis mumbled, closing his eyes.

Prompto laughed and added “Something like that” before he went right back into his driver mode. Ignis leaned back in his seat. Gladio was already relaxed with his arms resting on his door and the back of his seat. He didn't glance over to Ignis as Prompto steered them back onto the road. He only gave the advisor his attention once they were properly on their way.

Ignis kept himself composed. His arms were crossed over his stomach and his eyes closed. After a few minutes, he lifted up his right hand, trying hard to pop the bones in his fingers by curling and uncurling the digits. He made a tight fist, opened out his hands, and curled his fingers into a claw like position. His fingers trembled as he flexed them while flattening his palm out. The most he achieved out of all of this was a sore right pinky and a stiff left one. He sighed and laced his fingers together in defeat. It was then that Gladiolus came to his rescue.

          “Lemme see your hand,” Gladio said, turning his body more to face the advisor. “Gonna show you a trick.” He took Ignis' left hand and pulled off the glove. Gladio set the item under his right thigh before bringing his hand up to Ignis' again. “A slow, long stretch is better than a quick flex.”

He hooked his right thumb under Ignis' pinky. His other fingers draped over the advisor's wrist, and Gladio gently began to push the finger backwards. He pushed until he felt a proper resistance and held the pinky in place. After a mental count of thirty seconds, he straightened his thumb out and pressed the pads of their fingers together. “Push against me,” he instructed, and Ignis quietly did as he was told. He felt a little silly giving his pinky finger a work out, but if anyone knew how to train their body, it would be Gladio. He put himself – literally – in the bodyguard's hands.

After fifteen seconds, Gladio moved his thumb away, and Ignis was surprised that the tension was gone. Gladio then moved Ignis' pinky down towards his palm and released after ten seconds. Ignis wiggled his pinky finger about until Gladio was ready to shift to the next finger. He repeated the process on the advisor's ring finger; Ignis felt a bit disappointed when the tension returned to his pinky, probably worse than before. Gladio glanced up to him and smirked.

          “Finger still givin' ya troubles?”

          “Just a tad. You might have done irreparable damage.”

          Gladio laughed. “So dramatic. Give me a bit. Trying to find all your sore points before I butter you up.”

          The statement gave Ignis pause.

          “That sounds weird and kinky,” Noctis replied from up front.

          Prompto looked over to his friend with a nod. “Yeah, like a fetish, right?”

          “Be quiet, both of ya,” Gladio said, not moving his eyes from Ignis' hand.

Ignis closed his eyes and let out a stunted laugh, something _similar_ to a snort but not quite. He would defend that noise. As Gladio continued, Ignis felt the tension spread through different parts of his fingers. It was usually in the phalanges. His index finger actually _hurt_ right at the base knuckle. He hissed when Gladio's thumb pressed against it. The bodyguard muttered an apology and floated away from it towards the thumb. Once it was all said and done, Ignis felt no better for his troubles. In fact, he was heir to a handful of discomfort, but Gladio wasn't through with him yet.

Gladio gave a firm grip of Ignis' hand and began massaging over it. He paid special care to especially tense areas but still moved tenderly over Ignis' sensitive knuckle. The bodyguard's movements were almost bruising. Almost. Ignis was not as delicate as he may have yet appeared, and Gladio was firm within reason. Ignis relaxed against his passenger door as Gladio worked over his hand. The tensions well and truly began to seep away, especially when Gladio kneaded his palm with both thumbs. This was bliss like. The only uncomfortable part was the 'hurting' process, for lack of a better label.

Gladio made a second pass over Ignis' hand and was much gentler this time. This was the moment that Ignis truly felt he was being pampered. All of the harshness had been smoothed out of him, and now, there was this finishing touch to finish the deal. When Gladio asked for his other hand, Ignis was more than happy to extend it out.

It continued again like this, and Ignis wasn't sure how much time had passed in all of this. He watched the scenery pass with hooded eyes. Mountains and wildlife, even another car. Ah, what a rare sight that was. His mind drifted forward to the next step of their plan, to Tenebrae and what would be awaiting them there. His lips parted with a quiet sigh, and his attention was won when Gladio tugged him forward by his pampered hand.

          “Back towards me,” the bodyguard said. “Blazer off, Iggy.”

Oh. So this was happening now. Fine by him. Maybe it would be good to— Oh, Etro. Would he have to go through the 'hurting' process this way too? He rolled his eyes closed as he pulled the blazer from his body. He almost wanted to tell Gladio to _'please be gentle'_ , but he wouldn't dare say that with His Highness and Prompto so close.

The Impish Duo as Ignis so lovingly referred to them sometimes.

The blazer draped over his lap, and Gladio's hands went straight to the center of his back. It wasn't what Ignis was expecting; he thought the taller man would start at his shoulders, but he kept quiet all the same. He only piped up when Gladio's working thumbs pinched his skin unpleasantly or when his heavy grip weighed him too far forward. Gladio corrected his behaviour quickly and amended by massaging another place into pure _Heaven_. Ignis didn't know that there were places on his back that would make his mind cloud over and send waves of relief through his body. But, Gladio seemed to find every one as his hands travelled upward. There was a place between Ignis' shoulders that sent a hot tremor through his body. His mind buzzed, and his body almost went jelloid.

Though he knew if he described the sensation, it would sound sexual in nature. It was far from that. It was just… the best thing he had ever felt. Something so quick and effective. It was like falling into bed after a long day and feeling all the stress rush out of the body. It was like a hot shower landing against every tension point and evaporating it with hot steam. It was like Gladio had found his body's off-switch that came with a small euphoric shock. Whatever it was, Gladio rolled his thumbs into it for about twenty seconds. Ignis felt his brows bunch together, and he dangled his head forward.

Definitely an off-switch. He wish he knew about it sooner.

Gladio's large hands worked his way up his shoulders, and that's where there was pain mixed with pleasure. A lot of people kept stress in their shoulders. Ignis was no different. He actually knew where stress affected his body, and quite typically, quite unfortunately, his shoulders were one of the _key_ places. He drew in a painful breath, and Gladio's hands slowed down until the pain was mostly just an uncomfortable numbness.

          “Better?”

          “Slightly,” Ignis groaned.

          “Well, I'm goin' easy on you, but I'm still gonna work these out.”

          “Just… show mercy if I wave a white flag.”

          Gladio brought up his elbow and pressed it against the back of Ignis' shoulder. “Scout's honour.”

The imagery of young Gladio as a scout was enough to get Ignis through the elongated hurting process on his right shoulder. The imagery of _current_ Gladio as a scout was enough to make Ignis laugh through most of the process on his left. He kept trying to quiet himself, but he could hear the smile in Gladio's voice when he asked what Ignis was thinking about.

Ignis cleared his throat and tried a diplomatic answer. He shook his head at the idea of the scout's uniform tearing at Gladio's bulk. He shook his head and politely declined the penny for his thoughts. He would need a Regalia of pennies before he let anyone in on that train of images.

When the pain and numbness had finally gone, Ignis leaned back into Gladio's hands. There wasn't an overwhelming wave of relief as there had been before, but his shoulders didn't hurt nearly as much. In fact, he felt lighter all around. It was a strange feeling. That in itself was almost uncomfortable, but then Gladio's hands went down between his shoulder blades again. Off button, there it was.

Gladio only adjusted himself twice during the whole thing, and when he was done, he clapped his hands over Ignis' shoulders and gave his friend a bit of a wiggle.

          “Now how're you feeling?”

          “Mn.” Ignis slumped back and leaned his back against Gladio's chest. “Better. _Much_ better.”

          “That's 600 gil to thank me.”

          “Prompto, if you'd be so kind as to activate the back doors.”

          Gladio laughed. “Jeez, can't a guy earn a living?”

          “Not this way, he cannot.”

Gladio snorted and wrapped an arm around Ignis' middle. He shifted himself one last time before pulling Ignis back against his body more comfortably. Gladio propped up his right leg between Ignis and the back seat. Ignis closed his eyes as he leaned his head back against Gladio's shoulder. Gladio turned his attention and began pestering the two up front.

It was strange listening to Gladio talk and breathe and laugh through his chest, but it was also weirdly comforting. Ignis opened his eyes just barely and stared out to the passing scenery. They were cruising now. The world wasn't passing by in a series of colours. Prompto must have been sightseeing. Whatever the reason, Ignis appreciated this as well. The Regalia smoothly took down the road and navigated each corner easily with Prompto at the wheel.

Ignis moved a hand and gently patted Gladio on the arm twice. Just a silent thanks. Gladio made a little noise of acknowledgement before looking down to his friend. Ignis didn't say anything or look to him. After a second, he closed his eyes and drifted off for a little while. Gladio gave a knowing squeeze around Ignis' middle and went back to looking out to the world.

Ignis gave a bit of a smile before he settled down. For once in a long time, he could relax without stress in his body and responsibility on his mind.


End file.
